This invention relates to inhibition of viral replication, particularly, Herpes Simplex Virus.
Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) and other herpesviruses are important human pathogens. These viruses encode several proteins that are required for the replication of their DNA (Wu et al., 1988, J. Virol. 62:435; Weller et al., 1988, Eukaryotic DNA Replication, 6; 53, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y.). The principal enzyme of herpesvirus replication is a virus-encoded DNA polymerase, whose DNA sequence has been reported (Quinn et al., 1985, Nucleic Acids Res. 13:8143; Gibbs et al., 1985, Proc. Nat. Aca. Sci. 82:7679). Drugs that inhibit herpesvirus DNA polymerase activity, for example, acyclovir, have been used to prevent viral DNA replication.
UL42, also known as 65K DNA binding protein, is another HSV protein required for viral DNA replication. UL42 has double-stranded DNA binding activity and has been found to be associated with HSV DNA polymerase (Powell et al., 1977, J. Virol. 24:618; Gallo et al., 1988, J. Virol. 62:2874; Gallo et al., 1989, J. Virol. 63:5023).